How Good A Start?

Sunday 19th August 2012 at 13:13

The start that Thistle have made to season 2012-2013 has given most observers a sense of optimism for the long hard season ahead.

Nobody is naturally allowing themselves to get carried away by the start that we’ve made to the season. Indeed after yesterday’s game manager Jackie McNamara was very keen to emphasise that it is just a start, nothing more.

One question that people have been asking though is, in comparison to previous seasons, just how good a start has it been?

Well, only twice previously in Thistle’s history have we started a season with five consecutive victories. The most recent instance was much more recent than you might perhaps recall.

Ian McCall’s Thistle side started season 2008-2009 with a 2-1 Challenge Cup win over Queen’s Park and followed that with wins over Dunfermline (1-0 league), Forfar ( 4-3 League Cup), Airdrie United (1-0 league) and Peterhead (4-2 Challenge Cup).

The sixth match, a Sunday fixture at Queen of the South, was lost 2-0.

On only one other occasion have we started with five straight wins; way back in season 1946-1947. That run, which included a Glasgow Cup win over Queen’s Park, was also ended by Queen of the South in Dumfries, that game finishing in a 0-0 draw.

The record for consecutive wins at the start of the season, however, remains at the six that we started the 1975-1976 sectional League Cup campaign with

As impressive as our wins over Falkirk and Dunfermline have been this season a true indication of our prospects for the season may be found next Saturday when we face Dumbarton at Firhill with the opportunity to equal a small piece of Club history by recording a sixth successive victory.